UMES Minority Access to Research Careers Undergraduate Student Training in Academ

描述(由申请人提供)：UMES MARC U*STAR计划的使命是增加获得生物医学科学博士学位的UMES少数民族学生的数量。该计划旨在加强高成就优等生从事研究工作的准备和保护他们的兴趣。UMES MARC U*STAR计划将实现以下目标：加强自然科学系的科学课程，为理科专业增加四(4)门新课程(MARC和非MARC)，以将累积平均绩点超过3.0的域名系统学生的百分比从39%提高到45%；将域名系统专业的四年保留率从19%提高到24%；与研究密集型机构保持积极的合作，在4，以便为MARC U*明星实习生和域名系统专业的学生提供校外研究机会；将MARC U*明星学生主要通过校外暑期研究活动接触生物医学前沿研究的百分比保持在100%；将Marc U*明星学生的专业经历参与率保持在100%；将Marc U*明星学生的GRE平均分数从言语推理的410分和定量分析的560分提高到言语推理的500分和定量分析的650分；复习和修订四门较低水平的生物学课程-生物学荣誉原理I和II(Biol 111H和112H)以及化学I和II的荣誉原理(CHEM 111H和CHEM 112H)；重新设计化学I课程的原理；并在大一和大二的秋季学期为潜在的MARC考生提供特定学科的研讨会。这项计划为学业优异的学生提供常规课程所不提供的特殊教学和研究经验。该计划旨在加强生物和化学课程，作为一种手段，使学生为研究生院的严格要求做好准备，并为他们将参与的研究项目的理解和欣赏提供必要的基础。UMES MARC U*STAR计划将在暑期强调校外研究体验，让学生参与到科学素养的实践中。它战略性地提供密集的咨询、培训和考试研讨会，目的是提高教育质量，提高学生的自信心和GRE考试成绩。通过独特设计的合作伙伴关系，UMES MARC U*计划将促进学员进入博士课程的安置和预科。在这个项目结束时，将有25名受训人员进入生物医学科学的博士或医学博士/博士项目。 相关性：根据《2010年健康人计划》，该计划旨在通过提高生活质量和消除健康差距来减少对美国人的健康威胁，UMES MARC计划的使命是提高未被充分代表的少数族裔学生和教师在生物医学研究方面的技能和竞争力。这些人不仅具有适当的技能水平，而且具有文化敏感度，能够有效地解决导致美国不同人口中不成比例的疾病负担的潜在生物机制。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The mission of the UMES MARC U* STAR Program is to increase the number of underrepresented UMES minority students who earn doctoral degrees in the biomedical sciences. The Program is designed to enhance the preparation and preserve the interests of high achieving honor students for research careers. The UMES MARC U* STAR Program will fulfill the following objectives: Strengthening the science curriculum in the Department of Natural Sciences with the addition of four (4) new courses for science majors (MARC and non-MARC) in order to increase the percentage of DNS students with cumulative grade point averages above 3.0 from 39% to 45%; Increasing the 4-year retention rate of DNS majors from 19% to 24%; Maintaining active collaborations with research intensive institutions, at 4, in order to provide extramural research opportunities for MARC U* STAR trainees and DNS majors; Maintaining the percentage of MARC U* STAR students exposed to "cutting edge" research in the biomedical sciences predominantly through extramural summer research appointments at 100%; Maintaining the rate of MARC U* STAR student participation in professional experiences at 100%; Improving the average GRE scores of MARC U* STAR students from 410 in verbal reasoning and 560 in quantitative analysis to 500 in verbal reasoning and 650 in quantitative analysis; Reviewing and revising four lower level Biology courses - Honors Principles of Biology I and II (BIOL 111H and 112H) and Honors Principles of Chemistry I and II (CHEM 111H and CHEM 112H); Redesigning the Principles of Chemistry I course; and Providing discipline specific workshops to potential MARC candidates in the fall semesters of the freshman and sophomore years. This program makes available to academically distinguished students special instructional and research experiences which regular curricula do not offer. The Program seeks to strengthen Biology and Chemistry curricula as a means of preparing students for the rigorous demands of graduate school, and provide the foundation necessary for the comprehension and appreciation of the research projects with which they will be involved. The UMES MARC U* STAR Program will emphasize extramural research experiences during the summer to allow students to engage in a hands-on approach to scientific literacy. It strategically provides intensive counseling, training, and test-taking seminars for the purpose of improving the quality of education, self-confidence of its students and GRE test scores. Through uniquely-designed partnerships the UMES MARC U* Program will facilitate the placement and matriculation of trainees into doctoral programs. At the end of this project, 25 trainees will have matriculated into Ph.D. or M.D./ Ph.D. programs in the biomedical sciences. Relevance: In accordance with Healthy People 2010, which seeks to reduce health related threats to Americans by improving the quality of life and eliminating health disparities, the UMES MARC Program has as its mission to enhance the skills and competitiveness of underrepresented minority students and faculty in biomedical research. These individuals not only have the appropriate level of skill, but also the cultural sensitivity to effectively address the underlying biological mechanisms that contribute to the disproportionate burden of disease in various populations in the US.